Road-machine for melting snow.



U. M. BROOKBR.

RGAD MACHINE POB. MBLTITT? SNOW.

APPLIUATIQN FILED MAY 27, 1910.

4 SHEETS-BHEETJ.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911 @M Messen C. M. BROOKER.

ROAD MACHINE POR MBLTING SNOW.

APPLICATIGN FILED MAY 27, 1910.

Patented Mmm, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z. l

C. M. BROKEE.

ROAD MACHINE POR MELTING SNOW.

APPLwATIoN FILED MAY 27,1910.

Patented Mal; 21, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. M. BRUKER.

RUAD MACHINE POR MBLTING SNOW.

AIPLIUATION FILED MAY 27, 1910.

Patented Mmm, 1911 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 nucno@ n @Houtem-f CLEM M. BRODKEB., OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

ROAD-MACHINE FOR MELTING SNOW.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application led May 27, 19410. Serl No. 563,684.

To all whom 'it may concern:

'Ile itknown that l, CLEM M. Bnoonnn, a citizen of the United States, residing .at Lakewtmd, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road -Machimes for Melting Snow, of which the followingr a specification.

This invention relates to road machines for melting snow, whereby a road may be cleared of snow in a speedy and convenient manner. u

The machine ina be mounted upon a self propelling-.truck riven by a gasolene engine, an electric motor, or otherwise, or may be hauled or pushed by animal power.

The .machine embodies a portable furnace supplied with a number of gasolene burn ers for heatinfr the same, these burners being arranged br a symmetrical and efficient distribution ,of heat, the burners being;- located at the rear end and the sides of the fire box.' The vfurnace includes an inclosed tire box with an endless conveyor traveling therein, above and' below the floor thereof, and extendinr down and into an adjustable scoop at the front end of the machine which carries a scoop or scraper which excavates 4the snow the machine proceeds, and the.

conveyor transfers it to the furnace where it is melted. As the snow yis melted the ivater falls tbrou h the cbnveyer to the inclined Hoor of the re box, which carres it to basins at the ends of the furnace, whence it is transferred through pipes toa water tank underneath the fire box. The tank may be omitted in cases Where it is possible or desirable to let the Water flow off as fastl as it. supplied. 1 The machine' is arranged for a steersnian at the front, who guides the'truclc and also raisesand lowers the snow scoop as required. At the rear end is a cab for an operator who controls the tires, and who also controls an adjustable roof in the tire box, which root may be raised o1' lowered according to the various depths of the snow or the speed of the conveyor, in order to confine the heat as closely as possible to the snow to be melted.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 isA a side elevation ofthe-machine, partly broken. away. Fig. gis A len, the' surface of partly in section. Fig. 3 is across section of the tire box. Fig. 4 a detail in cross section of the adjustable roof of the lire box. Fig. 5 is a. detail in section of' the side wall construction of the tire box. Figs. (1 and 7 are details in elevation and horizontal section of one of the side openings through which a burner projects into the fire box. Fig. S is a detail of the conveyer belt. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of a modilication. Fig. l0 is ay detail in section.

Referring specitically to the drawings,

the furnace is built. on two main I-beaxus or 5 sills A, one of which is located at euch side, and which are connected by cross bars B. The beanie are mounted on cross supports C which rest on springs D. carried by the trucks which have vvl'ieelsA E. One rear lwheel basa suitable sprocket, on its hub l from which a chain G transmits power to a sprocket H, and through a gear Jv ropels sprocket K on a roller 6 around which the eonveyer'R passes, and by means of which the conveyer is driven. This conveyer consists preferably of two side chains r With rollers r and cross slats r2 which are spaced apart to allow the Water to flow therebetween. This conveyer runs on the upper and lower flanges of the I-be'ams A, as shown clearly in F 3, -wl-iich-iianges thusforni Aconvenient 'tracks for the conveyer.

The side walls of the fire 00Xl arevindicated at 7, conveniently .formed of sheet metal with a lining of tire brick 8, the bricks being supported by Z' bars D2` riveted "t0 the shell. The tire box is open at the front end, and is provided with a covered scoop L hinged on a cross rod T by means of'bafrs U fastened to the sides of the scoop,I and the scoop can be raised or lowered by a. bent lever V and chains W. The lever V can be locked by a catch X when the scoop Iis raised. The lever V is located in convenient.

posit-ion for operation by the steersman who will sit on the sea-t Y.

At the front end 0f the scoop is a scraper plate M behind which is fixed plate Q. This plate M is supported by springs N at the front ends of rods O attached to the sides of the chute, and thescoop has s roller P- whieh travels onthe ground under the front end thereof h e'V flete M slides elongj 105 .den creeis eov ' from the side lo :ams AA ing?Y an obstacle it forced bnclc againstV the tension of thc springs' N, allowii'xg the roller .P to take the load, and permitting the plate to litt over the obstruction.

.A steering wheel Z is located adjacent to the seat Y, and the truck may be steered through the shaft- A, on which the Wheel Z is mounted, the lower end oi' the shalt being connected by a sprocket; B and chain C to the it'th wheel D which turns the front truck.

The conveyor belt passes over guiderolh ers S at the top of the scoop and around a roller S atl the bottom thereof.

The fire box has a bottom o1 iloor E inclined downwardly from the middle toward each end, and located between 'the upper and lower runs oil` the eonveyer. The snow taken up by the scoop and the end of the couveyer therein is carried liiacltwardly over the inclined floor, and when melted the Water floy's down said inclined floor to basins F at .lach end oi" the furnace, whence it passes through pipes G to the storage tank Il" which suspended by staps J The tank has snit able outlet cocks H2.

The tire box is provided with a vertically adjustable root' which may be made in one or more sections and consists of T irons K' which hold in place tire brick L as shown in Fig, el. This roof is suspended by rods R and suitable cables from Wheels Q mounted on cross shafts 10 supported by suitable brackets lia on the side walls of the furnace,1 and these shafts have vWorin Wheels I which mesh with Worms 0 on a longi tudinal shaft N which at he rear end has a wheel M in the cab, for operation by the attendanig'who may thereby raise and .lower the roof.

The gasolene tank S2 is supplied with air pre. sure by a pump T", and gasolene is supAv plied from the tank through a pipe V which connects by a swinging joint "W with pipes X leading to burners Y. These pipes and burners are located beside the rear end and the two sides of the fire box, and 1he burns ers att-he sides project into the tire boit through plates .B2 arranged to slide up and down over openings in the side Walls 7', the lire bricks 1S being cut out behind said openings, as indicated at C. The front ends of the side pipes X are connected by rods A2 to cranks Z at the ends of one of the shafts 10, and accordingly when 'the adjustable roof'is raised or lowered by the means above described the pipes X and the burners carried thereby are also raised and lowered, the plates B2 sliding up and down to permit such motion of the burners.

.At the front end the fire box has a curved detlector plate F2 extending across the same, to direct the escaping hot air above the adl [12 to the lower edge 0f said plate, and swings inwardly so that it is opened by the snow it passes into the 'furnace on the .com/ayer, said door serving to confine the heaty in the furnace.

The truck may be provided Wit-h a...suitable propelling engine or motor not shown, or it may be drawn or pulled by team or other power.

In the modified form shown in F t) a different, and for many reasons preferable, construction is shown for operating the con Voyer. In the machine above describedl1 the. conyeyer is driven by a. Xbelt. gearing from the rear axle. lnasmuch as heavy snow or a large drift. might prevent normally forward progress ot' the niachine as a whole, the conveyer 'onder auch circiunstances would stop, or operate too slowly to carry oilft'ic snow, and the machine under such conditions might; become clogged or in operative, To avoid this resultj l,V show in Fig. t? a motor drive for the controller, th. n'iotor to be eoi'itrolledby an operetta in the fab. rihus referring to said figure the motor A" is supported by brackets E scoured to the sille A and the motor pinion D drive-s gear lil* and shaft F4 on 'which is a' -rear (vi carries the sprockets K4 which drive the conveyor R. The motor is governed by a controller M4 located in the eab. .By these means the operator can drive the conveyor at any speed desired, irrespective of the for ward progress of the ina-chino, and for yarions reasons this construction is preferred to the construction abo-ve deseril-fe'l, although the latter will be en suitable for operation on light, snow. thermoreE in Fig. Q is shown a trap door @i hinged at N at the rear end or". the iurnaee, and rest ing against. the conveyor l, saif' tra-p door being free to swing.; away from tine conveyor so to allow stones, dirt and other matter to drop out of the rear end of the furnace,

line 'the heat, but it will swii'ig away to allow' stones or other material to drop out. upon occasion.

lt is believed that. the operation oi" the machine will be evident from the above desoription.

The invention is not limited to the exact embodiment shown but Various changes may be made 'within the scope thereof.

The device can be used in removiop` and melting' snow from steam, electric or other railroads and from streets(r pavements or roadways, as Well as from sidewalks and other places where snow may accumulate, While it is evi dentthat the apparatus may be ustable roof, and a door G2 hinged at,n

in case such stones or thc like are collected` by 'the oonveyer. l\'orrnallj the door 04 will. hang; close to the conreyer a nd thereby con which drives gear Il* the shaft J4 which hinatirm of a. fire box, a scoop connected to 1 of' thrsf'oop through the fire box.

* and over and under said bottom, and mea-ns -inonnted on any suitablejo'ehicle and proy within the Same and projectmg beyond the pclled by 'horses or other suitable ower.

The apparatus willv also permit t ie storage water to be dispensed with in which case i the water resulting from the melting of the snow may be allowed to run, into the gutter' by the side of the road 4or street anda thus be permitted to turn off in usual manner.

By the use of this apparatus in cities, the streets, alleys, pavements, highways, etc., can have the snor:7 removedtherefrom andmelted in a very short time and without the employment of the great number of men and wagons usually engaged in such work, thereby cheapening the cost very greatly for this kind of work and enabling traic and comfort to be had rapidly and conveniently.,

That I claim as new is 1. In a snow melting machine, the combination of a fire box, a conveyer traveling within the fire box, land means to feed snow onto the conveyer by forward movement of the machine.

2. In a snow-melting machine, the combination of a fire box,- and a conveyer traveling within the Same, the top of the tire-box being adjustable toward and from the conveyer.

S. In' a snoiv melting machine, the combination of a fire box, a series of burners disposed along the sides of the box and directed into the same, meansto supply fluid fuel to said burners, and a conveyer .traveling within the fire box.

4. In a snow melting machine, the combination of attire box, a conveyor travelin within the same, and .a series of Huid fue burners directed vinto the fire box throughthe iva ll hcreofJ'he top of the fire box being vertically adjustable to vary its distance from the conveyer, and the burners being connected to said top, for vertical adjustment therewith.

5.' In a snow melting machine, the comthe from end thereof and extendingdownwgrdly and forwardly therefrom, and a conveyer traveling within the fire box and scoop .and adapted to convey snow from the front ln a snow melting machine, the combination of a. fire box having an inclined bottom and a water outlet therefrom, an endless belt coni-'ayer traveling through e re box to feed snow to the conveyer.

7. In a snow melting machine, the combination of a fire box, a traveling conveyer within thc same, means extending into the fire box, above the conveyer, to heat the intcrior of salid 'box and melt snow on the conveyer, and means to feed snow to said conveyer.

8. In a snow melting machine, the combination of a fire box, a traveling conveyor front end' thereof to receive snow, and n swin n door'located above said conveyer Avand 1n ront end of the lire box, for the pn'rpose stated.

9. In a snow melting machine, the combination of a Wheeled frame, a fire box snp-4 scraper (plate at the front end of the scoop, arrnge to yield to pass obstacles in the roa` 11. The combination of a fire box having o enings -in the walls thereof and sliding p ates coverin said openings a traveling conveyor within the fire box, and burners projecting through said plates and into said openings, the burners-being vertically adjustable, to vary thevposition thereof according to the amount of-material on the conveyer.

12'.4 The combinationof a fire box having a vertically adjustable roof formed of bars and fire-brick attached thereto, means connected to .said bars to raise and lower the roof, a. conveyer for material located in the lower part of the fire box, and finid fnel rojecting through the wall of the fire box, tween said roof and conveyer.

13. In a snow melting machine, the combination of a wheeled frame having side beams, an endless traveling cbnveyer sup ported o'nsaid beams, a fire box mounted on said beams, above said conveyer, with an inclined bottom' located between said beams and under the upper run of the conveyer, and means at the front end of the machine to collect snow and deliver same to the conveyer.

14. In a. snow melting machine, the com- -bination of a wheeled frame, a scoop ,pro-

jeeting downwardly from the front end thereof, and provided with a. sgraper at its lower end, a fire box on the frame, an enclless belt conveyer located within the fire box Eli 'irs

and scoop and arranged to curry material from the lower end of the scoop into the fire y frame and operatively connected to the con' veyer to drive the same.

16. In :L snow melting1nz1chne,the comb- Invtestimony whereof, I do ax my signuton of a portable fire box, a traveling nature 1n presence of two wxtnesses.

conveyor within the sume and cxtcndinf through the rear end of the, re boxJ and l BROOKE?" 5 door at the said end of the fire box, arranged `Witnessesz to swing toward and from said conveyer, for STEDMAN J. ROCKWELL, the' purpose stated. E. M. BownnN. I l 

